「日刊まにら新聞」ウェブ

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros criticized the Marcos administration for ignoring the post-pandemic issues that the country is facing, citing President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Marcos is set to deliver his second SONA on July 24.

“Last SONA, his first SONA, the President said the state of the nation is sound. That set the tone for the easy-going attitude of the administration that ignores the urgency of our post-pandemic needs,” Hontiveros said at the Akbayan Party's Citizens' Assessment on the State of the Nation

“Even if the public health emergency was lifted and the economy is open, the Filipinos are having a hard time with the prices of bills,” she added.

Hontiveros urged the public to ask the government to act according to their needs.

“We in the opposition, together with Akbayan, continue to sound the alarm on these issues precisely because the cost that every Filipino is paying is too high. These problems need intense focus,” Hontiveros said.

“I call for the public for us to come together to keep demanding from the administration act in alignment with our needs and to make sure the next five years are not wasted as this past year. We cannot deny that the policies of the President are linked to his politicking, especially with the Duterte family. We deserve a better leader, one who is not beholden to anyone else but the Filipino people,” she added.

Hontiveros said Marcos should be more aware of the real state of the country.

“Times (are) ticking. The Philippines cannot recover if the President is not awake and has not opened his eyes to the real state of the nation, especially when it comes to corruption. Whether it’s ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ (New Philippines) or ‘Bagong Lipunan’ (New Society), it’s an old move that has been done by the administration. He can recycle the projects of his father all he wants but he cannot PR the country out of its problems,” she said.

Hontiveros added that the recently-signed New Agrarian Reform Emancipation Act, which writes off over 600,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries from their P57-billion debt, could help address inflation problems.

“The President should optimize or maximize that law. He should prove that he understands the intention of the law. He should use that law for the supply chain of small farmers who are agrarian reform beneficiaries,” Hontiveros said.

“It’s not enough that he forgave the debt of agrarian reform beneficiaries. He should complete the supply chain. He should provide irrigation, seedlings, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities, and a crop insurance system that we still don’t have,” she added.

She said the education sector should act on the findings and recommendations of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) as part of a comprehensive approach to education.

Hontiveros also asked the government to stop red-tagging teachers and to adopt a teacher-centered lens in education.

On health, she said the government should pay the long overdue hazard pay and health emergency allowances of healthcare workers. Jaspearl Tan/DMS